I’ve been to Greece enough times to know that a Greek salad never contains lettuce. Or almost never. Doug and I ate a lot of Greek salads on our recent vacation and only one—a deviant—had leafy greens. As familiar as I am with this iconic summer dish, I did learn a few more do’s and don’ts on this trip. In fact, when I asked one of my hosts about an ingredient that most Americans include, her eyebrows shot up in alarm. She all but shuddered. So, in the service of authenticity and international relations, here are a few observations about how to make an unimpeachable horiatiki that won’t dismay any Greeks.
Read moreGreen for a Day
I’ll be planting potatoes on St. Patrick’s Day and probably wearing something green. Alas, no Irish cheese board for dinner. My favorite Irish wheels—Gubbeen, Durrus, Coolea—are too hard to find these days. Their high prices make them slow movers at American cheese counters. But green cheese? I can do that. I adore this creamy feta dip, green from pistachios, cilantro and dill. You’ve seen it here before but I’m reprising it as a nod to the holiday and the imminent arrival of spring. I’ve heard raves from readers who’ve made it and hope you’ll soon join that club.
Read moreFeta Yet Again
Ever since a recipe for baked feta went viral on TikTok, social media won’t leave feta alone. TikTokkers seem to think they invented the idea of warm feta but tell that to a Greek. Flaky feta pies are ancient; what Greek grandma doesn’t make tiropita?
Read moreFeta to the Rescue
After months of tomatoes and zucchini, I’m ready for winter squash. Kabocha is my favorite, but butternut squash is much easier to hack into and to peel. I like to roast thick slices until they’re caramelized and then balance the sweetness with something tart and tangy. Feta to the rescue, along with pomegranate seeds, pepitas, Aleppo pepper and yogurt. Creamy and crunchy, warm and cool, sweet and tart. It’s all there in this autumn side dish. Add a roast chicken or a bulgur pilaf and dinner’s ready.
Read moreWinter’s Greek Salad
We are approaching the one-year anniversary of the TikTok baked feta and tomato pasta, the recipe that caused an international feta stampede. Google Trends, which tracks search volume, shows a near-vertical spike twelve months ago in the number of searches for “feta pasta.” As a feta fanatic, I’m a little saddened to see that the line crashed as quickly as it rose. But maybe the craze introduced a lot more people to this endlessly useful cheese.
Read moreCrackers by You!
You may recall that I went crazy for these crackers last year. They’re from Top Seedz, a small company in Buffalo, New York. Many of you told me you bought some and found them as irresistible as I did. Now you can make them. At home. So they’re as fresh as can be. Top Seedz has developed a packaged mix for home bakers, and it really works. I made the crispy shards pictured above.
Read moreLet’s Do Lunch
Thank goodness my garden is churning out tomatoes because all I want for lunch these days is dakos. That’s the Cretan rendition of what Italians call bruschetta. In Crete they use rock-hard rusks, first softening them in water, then drenching them in olive oil and heaping them with grated tomato and feta. No wonder the Cretans live forever. In my view, this is just about the tastiest and most wholesome quick lunch you can make.
Read moreYou’re Grilling What??
Whatever else you’re planning to grill on Memorial Day, make room for cheese. Yes, you can grill it, and any non-meat eaters at your table will thank you. Halloumi, the sheep and goat cheese from Cyprus that doesn’t want to melt, has little personality until you warm it in a frying pan or on the grill. Then it blossoms. Serve it on toast (or lemon leaves, if you have them) with chopped fresh thyme and a drizzle of honey. A squeeze of lemon brightens it.
Read moreFeta Dresses for Spring
Nobody’s a bigger feta fan than I am, but I’m getting a little tired of that baked pasta/tomato/feta recipe that won’t go away. Especially because it’s not tomato season. Now’s the time to be pairing feta with artichokes, asparagus, leeks, beets, radishes, green garlic…all the tender spring crops that are at their peak right now. Although I can’t go back to my favorite Greek restaurant quite yet, I can make the restaurant’s sublime roasted asparagus with feta. And so can you.
Read moreSomething Old, Something New
In my never-ending hunt for new cheeses, I sometimes overlook old favorites. Manouri, the Greek sheep cheese, is definitely one of those. I hadn’t bought it in a long time, but by chance I brought some home the same week a gift bottle of olio nuovo showed up. Now there’s a love match. This moist, mild, creamy cheese is always one of the best buys at the cheese counter, and it soars with a splash of peppery just-pressed olive oil. Make some toast. Toss a salad. Time for lunch.
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